This month, West Wind Fine Art celebrates its 15th anniversary with a group show featuring more than 20 new works by nine artists: Richard Schmid, Nancy Guzik, Clyde Aspevig, Carol Guzman, Daniel Keys, Judy Stach, Timothy R. Thies, George Carlson, and Douglas Reichwein. The show opens with an artists’ reception at Regis College’s Carney Gallery on Friday, June 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. A paint-out event is on Saturday, June 22, from 8 a.m. to noon in the Tower Garden, followed by a buffet lunch in the gallery. On Sunday, Daniel Keys presents a still-life painting demonstration from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Regis College Center Foyer. (Tickets are required for the Saturday and Sunday events.)

Carol Guzman, Lazuli Bunting, oil, 5 x 4.

The show is curated by Kristen Thies, who opened West Wind Fine Art with her late husband, Timothy R. Thies, in 1998. “I’ve known Kristen for many years,” says Guzman. “She is a major advocate of seeing the beauty in life, and we share a love of art and nature.” Guzman has several bird paintings and a floral piece in the show. “I hope through my artwork people will see the beauty, diversity, and interconnectedness of the world,” she says.

Keys was also inspired by nature while creating works for this show. Although the artist is known for his still lifes, he enjoys exploring other subjects as well. “For this show, I’m branching out into landscapes, interiors, and even some animal life,” he says. No matter what the subject, Keys aims to show the beauty of ordinary, often unnoticed things. “It is my hope that through these artistic offerings, viewers will perhaps find beauty in the familiar, too,” he says.

Stach’s paintings in the show were greatly influenced by recent events that impacted her life. “Hurricane Sandy devastated many homes in our area, including mine,” she explains. While Stach has always focused on water as a subject, she feels the need to express her love of the ocean now more than ever. “Water to me represents rebirth and has a calming effect, but the recent flooding caused by Sandy has made many people apprehensive about the sea. I want to tell them that yes, it can again bring joy!”

Douglas Reichwein, Clarinet at Home, oil, 11 x 14.

Reichwein has recently been exploring the experience of music in his paintings and sculptures. “The journey of expressing something that we hear in visual terms was an exciting and interesting challenge,” he says. In the still-life piece CLARINET AT HOME, Reichwein’s goal was to create harmony. “The objects were chosen to represent the rich, warm sound that comes from a classical clarinet,” he explains.

Another still-life piece in the show is Guzik’s SPRING OPENINGS. “[The painting] was started with Jane Seymour in her art studio—along with artists Michelle Dunaway and my husband, Richard Schmid—with an inspiration of spring, creativity, and friendship,” she says. Both Guzik and Schmid are looking forward to the show, and are proud to be “a part of [Thies’] ongoing mission of bringing the finest art to the forefront.” —Lindsay Mitchell